501032 Gerald Jeffrey Army 9th Btn. D. Coy Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) Soon after my 18th birthday I was conscripted into the Army and had to report at Carlisle. Later I was transferred to Ballykinla in Northern Ireland to undergo about 10 weeks training with the Royal Ulster Rifles. On completion I was then posted to Keighley to join the 9th Battalion "Cameronians" (Scottish Rifles), D Company.
As the time drew close to the D-Day landings, we were moved to Hove to be part of the build up to the landings. However, we did not join the actual invasion itself, but arrived on the 17th June 1944 to support and relieve the initial forces. The first on-going battle after the landings was known as "OPERATION EPSOM" which began on 26th June 1944. I think it was said that about 60,000 men took part with an enormous support barrage by the Royal Navy and Royal Artillery.
Our company joined the start line and around 7.00am we moved across a corn field to commence our engagement with the enemy. It wasn't too long before we encountered cross-fire from the Germans in hedges either side. We were each given 3 or 4 hand grenades to lob in trenches that we saw ahead as we progressed. In my next move there was a trench, but not wanting to waste it, I tore past without using the grenade. However there were 3 Germans in it, whereupon I shouted to the men coming up from behind, and the next thing was the Germans had emerged and surrendered.
Our objective at Haut-du-Bosq was reached later that day. En route to Grainville-sur-Odon we had a bitter fight with the enemy, where I witnessed many men shot and wounded together with many falling dead around me. The cause of this was a sniper hiding out in a church. Having had to withdraw from that encounter, we sought to move forward again next morning. I was required to recover the dead body of an officer which was in a farmyard area and could be still under enemy fire. On his recovery to put him alongside other dead people, I saw many men who had suffered death by being charred by flame throwers. Other casualties had horrendous wounds including limbs blown off. After the battle there, we continued towards Grainville-sur Odon and were expecting to be relived for a rest and return to Mensil Patry. However, before that, 10 men were required to go on a night fighting reconnaissance into enemy territory.
Having infiltrated the German lines and being unable to find the enemy, our officer decided to call it a day and return back. At that point we came under attack and fell to the ground instinctively. Our officer, bren gunner and NCO were able to return fire and were able to flee the area. Unknowingly I was unaware I had been hit. With the Germans at the hill-top in the field, their fire towards us was clearly visible from the flashes from their weapons. Being very dark at the time (early hours after midnight) the remaining 7 of us huddled together along the hedgerow. Obviously the Germans knew we were somewhere there, and began scanning for us the other side. It didn't take them long to guess where we were, and began lobbing stick grenades over the hedge. In no time everyone was wounded in one way or another, and one named Allan Strathan Watson No 14515884 was severely wounded by shrapnel and died during that first night of captivity.
We had no hope of returning to our unit and so we decided to surrender, shouting out " Kamerad, Kamerad" we were dragged over the hedge where I collapsed with my injured foot. Immediately a pistol was put to my head by a German whereupon I screamed "Kamerad" at him. Another German spoke to him and he put the pistol away. Taken up to a farm out-building my boot was taken off while I was in great pain and screaming to stop. The bullets had entered my foot and ankle taking the sock and part of the boot as well. After spending 3 days at the front with the Germans they placed me on a pole-seat and took me to the roadway where a kind of jeep took me to be interrogated by a German officer. He insisted I told him the purpose of our patrol, who was on our left and right flanks and which regiments in the area were taking part. For my part I was completely ignorant of the answers, as we really did not know anything, so I was somewhat relieved not to be pressurised into telling him. However, after that I was placed in a field among many Hitler jugend members of the 12th SS Panzer Grenadiers where I was subjected to much verbal abuse.
Later I was placed in an ambulance along with 4 German wounded, but as there was no more stretcher room, I had to crouch at the rear, to suffer agonising pain with my wounded foot. The ambulance set off that night, but en route to its final destination, I was taken out of it and placed in a classroom at a school and left there alone and in pitch darkness. The next day I was taken to Rennes where it seemed a local school was being used as a hospital. I was in the hospital for the remainder of my captivity, not having any treatment whatsoever, save for the Nuns coming in to dress my wound. As the war progressed the American Army was getting nearer to the hospital, for we could hear gunfire in the distance. The Germans threatened us that anyone looking out of the window at the planes would be shot, and anyone able to escape, there would be 10 of us shot for their daring. As a bed patient I was naturally very concerned.
When eventually the American Army over-ran the area, I was taken to their field hospital and had penicillin pumped into me at regular intervals during the night. I was soon taken to Cherbourg to be taken by landing craft and on to "Blighty".
In taking details of everyone wounded and going home the American soldier with his clip-board, shouted out pointing to me, "This is one for the Poiple Heart" ( The Purple Heart was a medal issued to American soldiers for getting wounded). Of course I had to correct him that I was not entitled to it. I arrived back in Weymouth and taken to Winford Hospital near Brisol. Eventually I was discharged from the Army being medically unfit. All this happened between December 1943 until January 1945 and with only 9 months actual military service. I was still only 18 years old to the time I was released as a P.O.W.
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